Ice-cutting machine.



F. ESUHENBACH. ICE CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1o, 1910.

Patented June 13, 1911.

FRANZ ESCHENBACH, OF ST. JAMES, NEW YORK.

ICE-CUTTING MACHINE.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ Esci-remmen, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in St. J ames, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented',

certain new and useful Improvements in Ice- Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an iinproved niachine for cutting ice.

The object of this invention is to supply a machine for cutting through the entire thickness 'of the ice iii two parallel lines which are distant from each other the length of the blocks into which the ice is to be cut; and for this purpose the invention consists of an ice-sawing machine comprising frontwh'eels having a ribbed' circumftrence, a sled pivotally connected by upwardly-curved arms with the front-axle,` said sled being formed of horizontal bars and transversely connected runners, a transverse shaft supported in bearings on the horizontal hars, rotary circular saws near the ends of said shaft, handles at the rear-end of the horizontal bars, a chain and sprocket-wheel con.- nection between one of the front-wheels and the saw-shaft, and means for adjusting the horizontal bars higher or lower toward the runners, according to the thickness of the ice, and transverse guard-frames extending across the sled in front of and at the rear of the circular saws, as will be Jfully described 'hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.y

Vln the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a side-elevation of my improved machine for sawing ice into blocks, and Fig. 2 is a plan-view of the same.

Similar' letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing, a represents the front-axle of my improved machine for sawing icfe. To the axle is appliedaJ shafts for hitching up two horses by which the necessary power is furnished to the sawing machine. Tlie tires of one or both front-wheels l) are provided with transverse vribs -bthat have a slightinclination so as to bite into the surface of the ice when the machine is drawn over the ice-covered surface of a river,'lake, or other body of water. To the Specification oi' Letters Patent. Patented June 13, 1911, Application filed .Tune 10, 1910. Serial No. 566,168. i

shown clearly in Fig. 2. To the rear-ends of the curved ariiisf are attached horizontal bars e which are connected at their rear-ends with handles c1 and a transverse board e2. Below the parallel bars e are arranged parallel runners 1', preferably in line with the front-wheels, which are connected by transverse front and rear-braces r1 and transverse and slightly inclined guard-frames f that are rigidly attached to the runners 1 and provided with recesses f1' for the horizontal bars e. T o the bars c are attached journalblocks g1 which support a transverse rotary shaft f,v on which two circular saws g2, One near each end, are mounted. The shaft g and the circular saws g2 are rotated in the direction of the arrow by a sprocket-wheel i on one of the front-wheels b, a sprocket- -cliain /i1 and a sprocket-wheel h2 on the saw-shaft g. lVhen the machine is drawn over the ice, the sled is held on the surface of the ice by the attendant taking hold of the handles e1 and the sled and saws are pressed in downward direction, so that the latter can cut into the ice and form saw-cuts through the entire thickness of the' same. F or raising or lowering the saws, so as to cut through ice of different thicknesses .upright screw-posts z' are secured by countersunk heads to the transverse brace-rods between the runners, passed through holes in the, horizontal bars e, and attached thereto by'nuts l above and below the`bars, as shown in Fig. 1. For' thicker ice the bars e have to be lowered on the screw-posts toward the runners, While for cutting thinner ice they have to be raised away from the runners, so that the saws cut to greater or lesser depth @as required.

It' desired, for increasing the pressure on the saws, a weight may be placed on the transverse board e2 so that an additional pressure is exerted thereon independently oi the pressure exerted by the attendant on the handles of the bars e, or in place of the weight the attendant may stand on the board e2, in which case he holds on to the rear guard-frame The guard-traiiies f aie arranged at the front and rear ol' the saws so as to prevent accidents hy the saine. The seat of the driver may be arranged on the front-axle in the saine manner as inlagricul tui'al machines. i

By the machine a field of ice caii'be cut up in a veryA short time so as to he broken up into blocks, which are then run into the ice-houses by means of conveyers in the usual manner. A

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. An ice-cutting machine comprising a front axle, wheels on said axle supporting the machine on the ice, arms secured to said axle and extending downwardly and rearwardly, horizontal bars spaced from the ice and secured at their front ends to said arms and having holes near their ends, parallel runners below said arms, cross braces connecting said runners, upstanding screwposts on said braces and passing through said holes, nuts on said posts above and below the bars for adjusting the height of said bars, a transverse rotating shaft carried by saidbars, saws on said shaft, means for communicating motion from one of the wheels to the shaft.

2. An ice-cutting machine, comprising a front axle, wheels on said front axle for supporting the machine on the ice, a shaft secured to said axle for drawing the Inachine, rearwardlyand downwardly extending arms secured at the front ends to said axle and extending to a point to the rear of the wheels and a distance above the ice, approximately .horizontal bars secured to the rear ends of said arms and formed into handles at their rear ends and provided with vertical holes near both ends, parallel run-- ners, transverse braces connecting said runners, lscrew-posts upstanding on said transverse braces and passing through said holes n in the horizontal bars, nuts on said posts above and 'below the bars for adjusting the lieight of the bars above thc ice, journal blocks secured to the lower face of the horizontal bars about midway between the screwpo a transverse rotary shaft carried in` said journal blocks, circular' saws provided at-each end of th, rotary shaft outside of the horizontal bars, a sprocket wheel on one end of the rotary shaft, a'sprocket wheel on one of the wheels, and a sprocket chain connecting the sprocket-wheels.

3. An ice-cutting machine, comprising a front axle, wheels on said front axle for supporting the machine on the ice, a shaft secured to said axle for drawing the machine, rearwardly and downwardlv extending arms secured at the front ends to said axle and extending to a point to the rear of the wheels and a distance abovethe ice, approximately horizontal-bars secured to the rear ends of said arms and formed into han! dles at their rear. ends and provided with vertical holes near both ends, parallel runners, transverse braces connecting said runners, screw-posts upstanding on said transverse braces and passing through said holes in the horizontal bars, nuts'on said posts above and below the bars `adjusting the height of the bars above the ice, journal blocks secured to the lower face of the horizontal bars about midway between the screw-posts, a transverse rotary shaft carried in said journal blocks, circular saws provided at each end of the rotary shaft outside of the horizontal bars, a sprocket' wheel on one end of the rotary shaft, a sprocket wheel on one of the wheels, a horizontal transverse board connecting the rear ends of the horizontal bars, slightly inclined guard frames attached to both ends of said runners and provided with recesses for the horizontal bars, said saws being between the runners.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, l have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` FRANZ ESCHENBACH. Titnesses P iUL Gonrnn, FANNIE Frsn. 

